Childhood Was For Fantasies
by tati1
Summary: Yugi's alone again. What does Yami have to do with it? YS, YBR, YMM. COMPLETE!
1. How Much Do You Know Me?

Childhood Was For Fantasies 

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

**Chapter 1: How much do you know me?**

Yugi tripped and tumbled down the stairs into the hallway.  Snickers followed his ungraceful descent, and a large shape loomed over him as he sat up blearily at the end of his fall.

"Oh my, has little Yugi Motou tripped again?" sneered Altam (the looming figure).  "Oh no, is he gonna _cry_ about it?  What will you tell your friends, Yugi?  Amazing they've still put up with you long enough to at least try and drag you up from the bottom.  I don't see why you bother.  _Everyone_ knows that when they get tired of you you'll just fall down again; just like you fell down the stairs.  What would precious Yami think of you if he knew what a klutz you were?  You - " Yugi stood up and bowed carefully during his speech.

"Thank you for the warning, Altam-chan, but I really have to go to my next class.  I'll keep what you said in mind."  The larger boy went red with fury and shoved him into a locker.

"You cheeky little bitch - "

"Hey!"  Rescue came in the dubious form of Joey, who knocked Altam to the side.  "Leave Yug alone, ya hear?  Mess wid him an ya'll mess wid all of us."

"Thanks, Joey," said Yugi quietly from behind him, "but both you and I have classes to be in right now, and I don't want you to get into another fight on my behalf - "

"Oh, so you're together then?" sneered Altam – clearly the teen had no clue as to when to keep his mouth shut – "I knew Yugi must be a fag, but I never thought Wheeler would cheat on his own girlfriend with _this_ squirt."  Ignoring Yugi's cries, Joey launched himself at the slightly larger teen.

"You'll pay for dat comment - " A hand grabbed him by the collar; halting Joey's attack.  He turned furiously to see Kaiba holding him.  "Let go 'a me, you rich loon!"  Seto Kaiba regarded him with cool blue eyes.

"If you're so eager to get in trouble, puppy, by all means continue your little dog fight.  I, however, desire to walk in this hallway and you happen to be blocking it."  Joey glowered but subsided as Yugi tugged insistently on his jacket sleeve, pleading.

"All right, all right," he grumbled.  Yugi heaved a sigh of relief and gave Seto a grateful look.  The other eyed him with an unreadable expression before walking off.  Yugi and Joey ran to their classes, and neither was late after all.

````````````````````````````````````````

It was lunchtime, and Seto was sitting alone as usual, typing away at his laptop as he ate a ham and cheese sandwich.  A spiky-haired shadow fell over his keyboard and he looked up.

"What?" he asked irritably.  You'd think Motou would know by now to leave him alone.  Yugi shifted uncomfortably.

"S-seto?  Um…I was…wondering if you'd mind if I came over to your place after school today…" The teen gave him a disbelieving look and Yugi continued hurriedly.  "I won't get in your way, honest!  Please?"  Confused, Seto nodded.

"What about your Yami?" (he'd had the whole puzzle thing explained to him)

"Well…um…Yami is…a bit…" He looked across the cafeteria and Kaiba followed his gaze until it rested on Yami with his arm around Tea in the middle of a group of Yugi's friends.  There were no empty seats at the table.

"You're hanging with me because your friends abandoned you," he said flatly.  Yugi's eyes widened with hurt and he turned away.

"NO," he whispered emphatically.  "I had a different and better reason, but I guess there's not much point."  He walked away stiffly.  Kaiba shrugged.  He hadn't known the boy had dander to be put up in the first place.  So the wimp had some backbone after all.  He glanced at Yugi with a mild interest as the small teen went outside with his books, sitting quietly working until lunch ended, whereupon the owner of Kaiba Corp. cursed at his neglect of his own work on the laptop, which had been interrupted when Motou came along.

``````````````````````````````````````

Yugi whimpered softly as Yami shut the Game Shop door angrily and whirled on him.

"What were you doing with Kaiba after lunch?" he snarled.

"We – we were just talking, Yami.  Reall - "

"JUST TALKING?!  The guy's a monster, Yugi!  You should not have interfered when I nearly killed him at Duelist Kingdom.  The world would be better off without him."

"Yami!  That's a horrible thing to say!"  Yami slapped him harshly.

"Do not presume to reprimand me, slave.  I may have needed your body before, but I can go without your interference now."  Yugi nodded quickly.  "What were you 'just talking' to that _thing_ about?"

"I – I wanted to know if I could…" 'Oh god,' he thought faintly, 'Yami's going to kill me…'

"Yes?"

"IaskedifIcouldgooverhishouseafterschool."  Yami caught it.

"You WHAT?!"  Yugi shrank back against the wall as the Pharaoh attacked.  A blow fell across his shoulders and he curled up to protect himself.  "No property of mine will associate with the enemy!"  Several more blows, and Yugi could _feel_ the bruises forming.  "You will stay away from him!  Slaves DO NOT go to the beck and call of another owner!"  The beating paused, and when Yugi looked up the Pharaoh was gone.  Wincing, he picked himself up and turned for the stairs.  Yami appeared at the top of the flight, holding something.  Yugi backed away cautiously, making Yami scowl.  "You have been far too disobedient and I too lenient," he commented disapprovingly.  "The punishment will be harsher."  He tossed Yugi a bandanna, and the teen slowly gagged himself, trembling.

"Kneel," said Yami forbiddingly.  Yugi did as he was told; wondering morbidly what Yami held.

There was a sharp _crack_ and Yugi arched with a sharp scream into the gag.  A whip!  Where in hell did his Yami get a whip?!

"I stole it from the Tomb Robber," commented Yami idly as he struck again.  Another _crack,_ another muffled scream.  Yugi broke down sobbing as Yami hit him until his back was covered in welts.  The Pharaoh stopped after ten lashes and dropped the whip before the sobbing boy.  "Clean the whip.  Next time you disobey it will be fifteen instead of ten.  I expect dinner in an hour."  He walked calmly up to his room and shut the door as Yugi wearily obeyed.

````````````````````````````````````````````

"Yugi, Bakura lost his whip.  He thinks you've got it," whispered Ryou in class the next day.

"What does he use it for?"  Ryou started giggling.

"He's got a competition going with Malik on who can assembling the largest 'instruments of torture collection' in a month.  That's his only shark hide whip.  Do you know what happened to it?"

"Yeah," said Yugi softly.  Ryou turned serious.

"Then you better find it and get it to him.  He's planning to terrorize you after school.  I _tried _to talk him out of it, but…well, you've met my yami."  Yugi nodded absently, trying to sit straight so his back wouldn't rub against anything.  Boy, did he hurt.

"Trust me, I would love to give Bakura that whip," he muttered.  Ryou sighed in relief and both boys turned their attention back to the sensei.

````````````````````````````````````````````

Yugi dashed out of school only to be grabbed and yanked into some bushes close to the doorway.  He found himself staring up into the murderous visage of Yami Bakura.

"Where is my whip, bratling?"  Yugi backed away nervously.

"Ya – Yami stole it.  I didn't know until last night!" he yelped as Bakura raised a threatening hand.

"I want it back!"

"I'll steal it back for you, Bakura!  Just – don't!"  The white-haired spirit grabbed him by the shoulders, snarling.

"You better - "  Yugi screamed at the pressure on his shoulders and the spirit dropped him hastily.  "What?!"  Ryou dashed into the bushes; attracted by the scream.

"Yami!  What did you do to him?!"  Bakura looked at him innocently.

"I touched him!  That's all!  I swear, Ryou!"  His hikari eyed him before bending down to Yugi, who was lying on his stomach, panting.

"Yugi - ?"  He nudged the smaller boy's back.  Another piercing scream rent the air and Yugi scrambled away, eyes wide.  "Yugi?"

"I – I," Yugi stuttered, "I've got to…go home.  I'll get the whip back, Bakura.  I'm…gomen, I got to go!"  He dashed away from the confused look-alikes, who exchanged a look and a shrug of confusion.

Yugi panted as he ran down the road.  Yami would be so mad if Yugi wasn't home first…Luckily, it seemed that Yami had gone with their friends to the Arcade again, leaving Yugi to his own devices for awhile.  Yugi hurriedly cleaned the house, made dinner, and started in on his homework.  He was nearly done when he felt Yami returning.  He quickly opened the door.

Yami and Tea came up to the Game Shop slowly, pausing to kiss and laugh.  Yugi felt a slight twist of his heart, and sighed gently as he finally let his own crush on his yami fade to nothing.  Yami pushed him outside after he and Tea entered.

"Go to someone's house for the night, Yugi.  Tea and I don't want you here right now."

"Yami, may I get my homewo - "  Yami pulled him up by his hair.

"No!  Now go and spend the night somewhere else!"  He released his hikari and Yugi fled, hearing him turn to Tea.  "I think Yugi made lasagna for dinner…"

Fifteen minutes later Yugi knocked on Joey's door.

"Just a sec'!  Yug!  What are ya doin' here buddy?" asked Joey in surprise.

"Yami and Tea don't want me at home.  May I spend the night?"  Joey shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, Pops is out for the week an' Mai an' I sorta wanted ta take advantage of the situa - "

"That's okay, Joey," said Yugi softly, turning from the door.  "I'll see you at school."  Now where would he go?  Tristan was away for the week, and Bakura and Ryou probably wouldn't want him in with them.  Besides, Yami said that being gay was disgusting and he hated the Tomb Robber anyway.  Yugi was forbidden to consort with them.  Seto was definitely out of the question after yesterday, and certainly not Isis or Malik and Marik.  And Yugi still had to get that whip to Bakura!  Yugi halted, bewildered.

"So now where do I go?" he asked the air pointlessly.  He sighed and started walking.

Three hours later he nearly fell over his own feet with exhaustion as he passed yet another row of houses in yet another neighborhood, though Yugi was still fairly sure he was traversing a circle.  Another hour and he walked into a garbage can, sending it clanging down the street.  House lights turned on and a door opened.  A white head poked out.

"Yugi?!"  It was Ryou.  "Hey, Bakura, Yugi's outside!"

"So?"  Ryou rolled his eyes and dragged Yugi in.  The teen was too tired to protest as Ryou led him to the living room where Bakura was lounged on the couch.  "Did you get my whip yet?"  Yugi shook his head wearily.  "Why not?" he demanded.

"Ya – Ya – (yawn) Yami brought…Tea…over…"  Ryou shook Yugi's arm to wake him up.  "Hmm?  Oh…and he told me to sleep elsewh – wh – where (yawn) tonight."

"Then why are you not sleeping?"

"Joey and Mai…Tristan's busy…I'm not 'lowed at Seto's or Marik's…or here!"  He woke up with the realization.  "So – (yawn) rry.  I…have to go."  He turned to leave, but Ryou still had hold of his arm.

"Go where?"  Yugi looked downcast.

"The park probably.  I just have to get there."  He wandered out the door, looking a bit lost.  Ryou turned to Bakura triumphantly.

"I told you something was up!" he crowed.

"I wouldn't think you'd be so happy," replied his boyfriend sardonically, "considering your friend is hurt because of it."  Ryou frowned as that hit home, and sank into an armchair.

"Oh yeah…"  Bakura stood, stretching.

"Why don't you think about it tomorrow, aibou?  Tonight…"  He held out his hands and Ryou gladly accepted them, letting his darkness lead him upstairs to their bedroom.

*

A/N: So how is it for a first chapter?  I wanted to try typing a story instead of writing it and this came out.  I've got the next chapter going and I'm having fun, but I'd like any suggestions that you would care to offer, kay?

Now press the little purple button at the bottom of your screen and review for me!


	2. To Defy a Yami

Childhood Was For Fantasies 

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

**Chapter 2: To Defy A Yami**

Yugi awoke to someone shaking him the next morning.

"Yugi!  Yugi, wake up!"  He sighed and rolled over…to see Mokuba Kaiba.

"AHHHHH!"

"Yugi, it's just me!"  The tri-colored boy sat up and stopped screaming.

"Mokuba?  What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was on my way to school and I saw you on the bench.  And I stopped and woke you and you screamed and - "

"I get the idea," he interrupted hastily.  "Thanks for waking me.  I'd better get to school."  He stood tiredly and started down the road.  Mokuba ran to catch up with him.

"Yugi, you don't have your backpack."

"I know," Yugi sighed resignedly.

"It's a three mile walk!  You'll never make it on time!"

"I know."

"So would you like a ride or not?" the younger boy demanded.  Yugi paused.

"I'm not allowed to even talk to you Mokuba.  Yami would be furious if I took a ride!"  Mokuba frowned, hurt, and Yugi stopped to look at him sadly.  "Oh Mokuba, I really wish I could.  I love you and Seto.  But Yami will…ground…me if he catches me doing what I was told not to.  He dislikes having rivals."  The slightly smaller boy cheered up.

"Well, you don't have to tell him!  I could drive you to your house and drop you off half a block from school!  Yami won't have to know."  Yugi considered it, looking at Mokuba's pleading expression.

"Oh, alright," he relented worriedly.  "As long as Yami doesn't find out."

````````````````````````````````````````

"Bye, Yugi!" called Mokuba as his car drove away.  Yugi waved and ran the rest of the way to Domino High School.  He was five minutes late and received a warning, but apart from that everything was fine.

Yugi skipped lunch again and finished the previous night's homework in time for his afternoon classes.  For the first time since it had begun, a few of Yugi's friends noticed his outcast position and frowned.  Yami picked up on it and distracted them while sending a mental yell for Yugi to get out of sight and out of mind.  The teen promptly vanished into the depths of the library and Yami told everyone his hikari was stressing about college next year and was busy cramming for all his courses.  Yami of course had tried to talk him out of it, but how could he possibly say no to Yugi?  They bought it.  Well, except for Tea, who liked having Yami treat her like a queen, and Seto Kaiba, who listened in quietly from his own lonely seat and thought of Yugi's wistful glances toward the group.  The matter was dropped and lunch continued, Yugi forgotten.  Seeing this, Kaiba rose thoughtfully and left for the library to find the wielder of the Millennium Puzzle.  Yugi was sitting hidden behind the very last desk of the row.

"Motou."  He looked up.  "How long have you been alone?"  The boy looked furtively from side to side and checked that Yami was busy.

"Around when Yami got his body," he whispered.

"Why?"

"Please Seto, I'm not allowed to talk to you.  Please go away."

"You tried to talk to me before," the billionaire pointed out.

"Yes, I know.  And that's why I'm forbidden."  Seto looked at him, and he elaborated.  "You're Yami's rival.  He really dislikes you, and he saw me talking to you.  He doesn't want his pr – I mean, his hikari, consorting with 'the enemy' or with homosexuals, which is why I'm not allowed near Ryou or Bakura or Malik and Marik."

"But Yami hangs out with them."

"Yes, because he cannot control where they sit or who they consort with.  But he can with me."  Yugi looked away sadly.  "And I'm not allowed."

"Do you always do what your yami tells you?" asked Seto angrily.

"Now, always."  Kaiba snorted.

"Grow a backbone."  Yugi bit his lip and watched wistfully as Seto left.

``````````````````````````````````````

"Yami, Yugi said - "  Yugi sighed and turned to Tea from his homework.

"Fine, Tea, I'll make you some coffee.  I just thought you'd be more capable of it yourself.  Considering, after all, that I can't reach the coffee bean container."  Tea stuck out her tongue from where she was practicing dance for her audition.

"Tough, Yugi.  I'm Yami's now and I rank you.  So shoo!"

"What happened to our friendship?" asked Yugi sadly,  "You always had speeches on how we would always be friends; you helped and protected me from bullies, you were always kind and nice.  Why do you hate me now?"

"It's not that I hate you," said Tea dismissively, "But you are a slave here and I am near to Yami's Queen.  He _is_ a Pharaoh after all.  Therefore, why shouldn't I indulge myself?  Now go make me some coffee before I take that whip to your sorry little hide."  Yugi, still shaking his head over twisted logic, fled to the kitchen and spent the next half hour trying to reach the coffee beans.  Tea was complaining from the other room as Yami came home, sending the powerful spirit into the kitchen angrily.  He carelessly knocked over the precarious pile of assorted items that Yugi was perched atop, sending the little hikari toppling head over heels to the floor with a yelp of surprise.  Yami hauled him up by the collar.

"Why have you not done as you were told?"  Yugi gazed up at him, teary-eyed.

"I'm _trying!"_ he protested.  "But I can't reach that high - "  Yami threw him onto the floor contemptuously – ignoring Yugi's hissing indrawn breath as his back hit – and kicked him.

"I do not want excuses!  I _am_ Pharaoh, and it's best you remember your place!  Worthless, Yugi, you are _worthless_ as a slave.  You dare to deny the love of a Child of the Gods!  Such a grievous error in your judgment is unforgivable, slave."  The whip appeared in his hands (A/N: Duh, he's got magic powers; of _course_ he can make it appear from wherever he kept it!) and he slashed down before Yugi could cover his face.  With a crack, the milk-white check sliced open, and a long, bloody gash swept clearly across his visage.  The whip came up again – Yami was ranting something – and Yugi curled up defensively; stuffing his hand in his mouth to muffle his sobs as the Pharaoh punished him, Tea watching on smugly.

After the beating was over, Yami and Tea made their own coffee and left for the bedrooms with a swift kick to incite Yugi to start supper.  The hikari tearfully scrubbed the floor clean of his own blood and did as he was ordered.  He went to his own room and changed his clothes (Yami forbade him the use of bandages), grabbed his homework and the whip, and left.

``````````````````````````````````````

Ryou opened the door to a quiet knock to see Yugi on his doormat, blood running down his face from a cut stretching from ear to jawline, across his nose.

"Yugi, what - ?!"  The boy said nothing, but shoved an object into his hands before leaving.  Ryou looked down at his hands as Bakura came up behind him.

"What did the brat want?"  Ryou shook his head sadly and passed his yami a slightly bloodstained whip.

``````````````````````````````````````

The outside intercom buzzed.

"What?" snapped Seto, still glaring at the figures o his computer screen.

"There's a boy here," said the gate guard, "by the name of Yugi Motou.  He wants to know if he can come in.  I told him to take a hike, but he won't leave and I want to know if I should use force."

"NO!" said Seto, a bit too emphatically.  He moderated his tone.  "No.  Motou can come in if he wants, but be sure to tell him that he better not disrupt my work."

"Okay," said the guard.  "Oh, sir?"

"_Yes?_"

"You might want to let him see a doctor.  Since he's a guest, I doubt you want him bleeding on your carpets."

"He's bleeding?" asked Kaiba sharply.

"Yeah, take a look."  The teen pushed a few buttons on his control console and placed a video image of the front gatehouse on the screen.  Yugi was sitting patiently outside the gate with a cut across his normally smooth skin.  Seto frowned.

"Just send him in."

"You got it."  Changing his computer back to the sums he had been balancing, Seto pushed another button on his intercom.

"Hey, doc, come up here with some bandages and antiseptic.  I have a guest who's bleeding something vicious."  He switched it off and went back to work.  The doctor arrived ten minutes later.

"Master Kaiba?" he asked, confused.  Seto glanced about.

"Yugi should have been here by now," he murmured.  He began a systematic check of the surveillance cameras and found Yugi about halfway there, walking slowly and panting.  "He's coming," said Kaiba.  "He must have run here; he looks a bit winded."  Yugi confirmed his argument a few minutes later, sitting gingerly on a stool as the doctor moved to his face.  He tried to fend the man off, but when questioned, didn't have an excuse as to exactly _why_ he refused bandages and so put up with them wearily, swearing silently to remove them before school tomorrow, or Yami'd kill him for direct disobedience – bandages _and_ Kaiba Manor! – and he didn't want to anger the Pharaoh again so soon to his last beating.  At least his yami no longer had the whip; hopefully Bakura would keep a closer eye on his instruments of torture in the near future.

Yugi sat quietly as Kaiba leaned back in his swivel chair to regard him curiously once more.

"So, what brings you here, Motou?"  Yugi shifted and twisted the straps of his backpack, thinking of Yami.

"I told you I'd like to visit.  I came to visit."

"And I said no."

"Yeah, so I found a way to get in despite that," Yugi said, slightly cheeky.

"And I could still throw you out."

"I think not," the teen announced, acting pompous and failing miserably.  Kaiba hid a smile.

"And why not?"

"Because I'll raise a ruckus and Mokuba will know I'm here and I'll tell him everything."  Seto blinked, and then frowned in slight admiration.

"You're entirely too clever for your own good," he informed the boy.  Motou just grinned and let Seto return to his computer unmolested.

"DON'T interrupt me."  Yugi nodded in accordance with the icy teen's wishes and pulled out his own homework; holding it awkwardly in his lap.  They worked in silence for several hours before they were disrupted from a perhaps companionable stupor by the cheery voice of Mokuba over the intercom.

"Hey, big brother, it's dinner time!  Come on, you've got to eat with me tonight!"  Yugi pressed the _send_ button.

"We'll be right there, Mokuba.  I'll make sure your onii-chan eats."

"Yugi?!  That you?" came the boy's voice joyously.

"None other."

"Great!  But I thought you were no longer allowed to speak with us?"

"I'm not.  Just don't tell Yami."  He winked at a surprised Seto and turned off the intercom, motioning for the businessman to come to dinner.  Grumbling under his breath, Seto reluctantly turned from his work and led the other boy to the kitchen, where Mokuba was sitting with assorted jars, breads, cold cuts, and a big grin.

"Seto!  You're eating with me!" he crowed, jumping up to hug his older brother.  Kaiba looked somewhere between discomfort and pleasure, but Yugi smiled softly at the little boy's happiness.

"Hi, Mokuba."  The boy dropped off Kaiba and latched on to Yugi in a similar manner (albeit he didn't have to jump to hug the hikari, though Yugi had grown a few inches.).

"Yugi!  What are you doing here?!"

"I asked your brother if I could come, and being the biggest, best brother you could hope for, he said yes."  Seto gave Yugi the evil eye while the smaller boy stuck out his tongue cheerfully over the tangled black mane of Mokuba's hair, where the squealing child couldn't see.

"So, what's for dinner?" asked Yugi.  Mokuba disengaged himself again and ran to the counter.

"Sandwiches!" he crowed.  "Any kind!"

"Remind me," commented Seto, "exactly _why_ do we have a cook?"

"To keep Mokuba under control?" suggested Yugi, eyeing Seto's little brother warily as the boy slathered jam onto a pickle-filled sandwich.  "Mokuba, how much sugar have you had today?"  The dark-haired boy paused in his assault of his triple-tiered sandwich.

"Um, lessee…Rebecca gave me a 100 Grand candy bar…Rody gave me M&M's…I bought a Snickers, Starburst, and Skittles…and I had coffee when I came home!"  Seto stared at his brother in horror.

"No!"

"Yes!" Mokuba gladly declaimed.  Kaiba just put his head in his hands and moaned.  Yugi moved for the peanut butter jar and was opening it when his inactive mind link opened  suddenly, making him yelp in surprise and sudden fear.  Yami's angry voice exploded in his mind.

\YUGI!\

/Yes, Yami?/

\It's PHARAOH to you slave!  Now, _where are you_?!\

/I-I thought you wouldn't want me to be around after I completed my duties, Ya - Pharaoh.  I – you went upstairs with Tea; I-I thought you would like privacy…/

\Slaves are not meant to think, Yugi\ commented the spirit, though he sounded mollified.

/I'm sorry/

\Well, you might as well stay away then…\

/I – If I may ask, what is it you needed me for?/ asked Yugi timidly.

\Nothing.  Tea wanted to punish you because you left her computer on, that's all\

/But it's MY comp - /

\SLAVES OWN NOTHING!\ Yami thundered.  Yugi winced and cringed, barely hearing Mokuba and Seto's slightly worried dialogue.

/Gomen-nasai, Pharaoh/ he mind-whispered.

\Good.\  And Yami was gone.  Yugi sighed thankfully and shut off his side of the link.  _No more_ mind-to-mind with Yami.  It just wasn't safe.  He shuddered to think of what his Yami might be able to do to him by messing around in his head.  He winced at the thought.

"Yugi-kun?"  It was Mokuba.  "Are you okay?"  Yugi nodded.

"That was Yami, right?"  Another nod.  "What did he say?"

"Oh, he just wanted to know where I was.  Tea wanted to ask me something."

"Oh really?  Then why were you wincing?"

"I just…she asked…about my past and it happened to be about…about when I used to be bullied…and I didn't really like remembering it."  Silently, he congratulated himself on a lie well done.  Seto considered him.  'That had too many pauses…but Yugi sucks at lying…he was telling the truth.  Okay.'  Shrugging, Seto accepted and deep inside, that acceptance made Yugi wilt.  'I've betrayed their trust…and they believe me…it will keep happening…and now they'll hate me when – if – they figure it out because I _lied_ to them!  I lied…'

"So, are you still free to stay for dinner?"

"Yeah."  Yugi forced a sunny smile on his face.  "I hope you don't mind."

*

A/N:  Aaaaaaaaaannd, end chapter two!  So whaddaya think, eh?  I love this thing.  I'm gonna write a quick author's note for Chapter three b/c I want to explain to you EXACTLY WHY YAMI'S EVIL IN THIS STORY, KAY?  So, it's IMPORTANT!  DON'T MISS IT!!!!

And, um, please review; it's my only savior right now…

Thanks.

**IMPORTANT CWFF AUTHOR'S NOTICE!!!!!!!!!!!**

**WHY YAMI'S EVILE:**

Yami is a clever Pharaoh, ne? So, in this story, when first released from the Puzzle he wanted to make sure his aibou was willing to help him get a body = nice Yami.  Also, he beat up everyone who hurt Yugi because they might cause damage to his vessel's body and thus damage him.  After he got a body he stayed nice, convincing the old and dying Sugoruku Motou to leave everything in his care until Yugi came of age, that is to say, 21 years.  Now that Yugi's grandfather died (of old age; not Yami), Yami is working to get Yugi to become his slave in mind and then eventually sign a contract saying he belongs to Yami in the eyes of the law, as well as any and all possessions.  So now he can show his true side to Yugi and be mean…but he doesn't know how resilient our little hero is, now does he?


	3. Realizations

Childhood Was For Fantasies 

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

**Chapter 3: Realizations**

The next day, Yugi trotted into school, trying his best to look as though he had spent an uncomfortable night out in the park again.  Thankfully, no one gave him a passing glance or he would have been discovered quickly.  His cheerful air was apparent for the first time in months.  Yami couldn't sense it (because Yugi had shut down the mind-link) and Yugi had calmed back into his normal depressed state by the time lunch rolled around.  Joey ran over him as he fought Tea for room in the lunch line.

"Hey, watch where you're - "  Joey looked about for whomever he had tripped over before looking down.  "Yug'?  Hey, buddy, whatcha' doin' down there?  You might get run over!"  Mai snorted, but Joey continued, oblivious to the fact that Yugi had _already_ been run over and grabbed his arm, his grip tightening as he gasped.  "What happened to your face?!"  With the bandage gone, the wound looked as bad as ever.  Yugi flinched and ducked his head.

"I – I was…mugged yesterday."  Joey looked furious.  "But Yami took care of them," he added.  Yami was thrown an approving look by his friends.  Joey tugged cheerfully on Yugi's arm once more.

"Come on then."

"Come on where, Joey?" asked Yugi, puzzled.

"Ta' lunch!" exclaimed the youth.  "Ya haven' sat wid' us for da longest time, buddy.  Quit the books an' hang for a bit!"  Yugi caught Yami's glare from a little ways up the line.  He shuddered nervously.

"Um, that's okay, Joey," he said carefully, extracting himself from the bigger boy's grip.  "I forgot to study last night and I have a test in Geometry today…"  Before Joey knew what had happened, Yugi was gone.  He gave Mai a confused look that she returned willingly.

"Wha'd I do?" he asked Yami, curious.  Yami smiled and shrugged.

"I think Yugi has a crush on someone.  He's just too embarrassed to be in the same room with her.  And he won't confide in me."  Yami faked a worried look.  "But I got into his head a bit awhile ago, and I think the person's Tea.  I can't believe he fell for my girlfriend though!  We're supposed to support one another, not take what makes our aibou happy!"  He gave the floor a dejected glance.  "But – and I know it's awfully horrid of me to say this – Yugi never seemed to trust me like I did him.  I've tried so much…"  Joey seemed horror-struck, and put an arm around Yami reassuringly, but missed Yami's smirk as he comforted his former best friend's counterpart.  Other eyes across the room were not so trusting, and Bakura watched guiltily as Yami smirked before laying on a bout of self-blame for why Yugi had 'gone bad.'  He noticed that Mai seemed slightly uneasy as well, but even the Tomb Robber missed Seto Kaiba's pondering gaze from the shadows of the archway into the cafeteria.  There was something odd going on.  Perhaps now was the time to do something about it.

```````````````````````````

Yugi was caught by an older student as he left school, and as a result was late getting home; wincing from new bruises and the fiery lines of the whip slashes on his back.  Yami was not happy.

"WHERE WERE YOU?!" he roared; shoving Yugi against the wall.  The teen screamed as the fiery ache developed into new-opened wound once more.  Yami snarled a bit.  "There's no point in your moronic screaming, slave.  My shadow magic blocks all sound from escaping this house.  Now, where were you?"

"O – one of the se – seniors caught me and b – beat me up," stuttered Yugi faintly.  "I tried to get home on time!" he added frantically.  "Honest!"  Yami didn't look any happier, and threw him to the ground in disgust.

"Pathetic.  _I_ could take even a senior out without the use of my powers, and not only do you manage to be defeated, but you also cannot land even a single punch.  Utterly worthless.  And you put medicine on that slash on your face.  I gave you direct orders not to, and yet you disobeyed!  I can smell the Neosporin (that's what it's called – right?) on your cheek.  What do you have to say for yourself, hmm?"  Yugi shivered on the floor and stuttered out his answer.

"I – I apologize, Pharaoh … I … it hurt so much, and I had a bit of lunch money left …and the drugstore was right there … I won't digress again!  Please!  I swear to you; I never meant to, but I'm still learning and I'll never do it again!  I - "

"Shut up!"  Yami circled him angrily and contemplated Yugi's punishment.  "I won't use the whip today - " Yugi sighed his relief. " – because it might kill you, being so weak.  But you, my hikari, must learn."  His voice was a low growl.  "I will not tolerate such defiant acts!  And … You have closed off the mind-link," he interrupted himself, frowning.  "Why did you do that?"  Yugi just watched with his wide purple eyes.  "Never mind."  His fist swung down in a hard arc to slam Yugi in the side.

```````````````````````````

Tristan came home to be accosted by Joey and Yami's story of Yugi's evilness.  Tea eagerly backed them, though Mai was strangely silent and Yami kept an eye on her.  Soon, word had spread, and Yugi was officially out of the popularity levels of the school.  The renewed efforts of the bullies alone kept Yugi away from Kaiba Manor and those who inhabited it, and kept Yami from looking for the whip; knowing that such a harsh punishment might very well kill his former vessel before he had what he wanted.  No one intervened on Yugi's behalf.  Some hacker had nearly infiltrated Kaiba Corp.'s security levels on their computers, and Seto was scrambling to prevent it from ever occurring again; inventing new and stronger systems as he went along.  Ryou's father had returned from an excavation and was still adjusting to his son's relationship with a something-thousand-year-old Tomb Robber look-alike, and Ryou was encouraging Bakura to spend more time at home with him and his father.  School hours were spent sticking together like burrs.  Yugi's friends – all but Mai – either knew of his position or thought him evil because of Yami's lies, and Mai could neither prove nor deny anything concerning the accusations and her own belief of Yugi's abuse at Yami's hands.  She began to work on Joey, and the two began to drift away from the group, though not toward Yugi; she was concentrating on getting Joey to know that she would never lie to him; she loved him too much.  Only then would she confide her beliefs to her boyfriend.

Two watched this from the shadows.  Two watched Yugi.  Two did not know exactly what was happening.  Until Yami slipped up.  Or rather, Bakura and one of the two did.

``````````````````````````

"I won!" crowed Bakura as he and Ryou entered the cafeteria ahead of Malik and Marik ('the two').  It was a month later, and the 'largest items of torture collection' winner or whatever it was called had just been determined by Marik's sister, Isis.

"I can't believe you had a shark hide whip!" sulked Malik.  "And a 14th century rack!  Unfair; I thought I was supposed to be the one with money!"

"Threats go a long way … " smirked Bakura, but Marik was distracted from the conversation as Yami Yugi's head snapped up at their discussion before whipping to glare at a figure sitting in a corner bent over a huge textbook.  Yugi stared back at Yami; panic evident for a millisecond before he bolted out of the lunchroom as though the demons of Hell were on his trail.  Yami quickly smoothed his glare and smiled thinly at the quartet.  Marik's quick mental check assured him that his partner had also noticed the former Pharaoh's extreme reaction, and was thinking hard about it.  No longer moaning, Bakura settled down to eat lunch, eyeing the Pharaoh suspiciously.  A quick mental conversation between the platinum blond couple ensured that they would be following Yugi home today.  Something odd was going on, and the Pharaoh's glare had been disturbingly familiar to what it had been five thousand years ago.  Perhaps Yugi's wounds were not just bullies.  That cock-and-bull shit about Yugi evil was something neither had ever believed, but only now did they believe something else might be going on than Yami's own misdirection.

*

A/N:  I'll work on another update soon, but I wanted to take care of this one first.  Thank you to all who reviewed!

        September 25th was my Birthday!  Yay!  Fifteen at last!  And I'm already into sophomore year too…hmm…I'll never be eighteen while in high school…odd.  Thank you for all the wonderful reviews!

        There are more important things occurring, though.  Really, if anyone from the website Psyke hangs out on ffn.net, please contact me.  Especially if you know or are Manchester_United_Fan (Lee).  I miss him; though he's probably forgotten me.  We only spoke once or twice.

        If you are from ANY self-harm group or on your own, please feel free to write me.  I suck at counseling and I guess I'm not all that nice, but…nevermind.  I'm probably just saying that to make myself feel better (it's two days after I typed this chapter up and you have no idea how depressed I am at the moment – my subconscious is so going to kill me for actually posting this message – I overreact and overstate everything, and I'm sorry for wasting your time and – god.)  Anyway, I suck, life sucks, and I hope yours improves.  Right.

        I have no idea what I set out to do when I began to re-edit this A/N, so I guess I'll leave now, but does anyone know any hacker things to use on Parental Controls for MSN without letting parents know you've done anything?  Please, the situation's pretty bad.

        Now that the weird rants are over…

        Please review; it means the world to me.


	4. Rescue

**Childhood Was For Fantasies**

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

**Chapter 4:  Rescue**

**_Last Time…_**

****

_"Threats go a long way … " smirked Bakura, but Marik was distracted from the conversation as Yami Yugi's head snapped up at their discussion before whipping to glare at a figure sitting in a corner bent over a huge textbook.  Yugi stared back at Yami; panic evident for a millisecond before he bolted out of the lunchroom as though the demons of Hell were on his trail.  Yami quickly smoothed his glare and smiled thinly at the quartet.  Marik's quick mental check assured him that his partner had also noticed the former Pharaoh's extreme reaction, and was thinking hard about it.  No longer moaning, Bakura settled down to eat lunch, eyeing the Pharaoh suspiciously.  A quick mental conversation between the platinum blond couple ensured that they would be following Yugi home today.  Something odd was going on, and the Pharaoh's glare had been disturbingly familiar to what it had been five thousand years ago.  Perhaps Yugi's wounds were not just bullies.  That cock-and-bull shit about Yugi evil was something neither had ever believed, but only now did they believe something else might be going on than Yami's own misdirection._

*

Yugi was dead.  DEAD.  D.  E.  A.  D.  Or at least he would be as soon as Yami and Tea came home.  Oh, how he wished Bakura and Marik had discussed that stupid whip elsewhere!  Yami was going to kill him…

So why go home?  Yugi perked up as the new idea was entertained before drooping when common knowledge set in.  He had to go home.  No one else would take him or even want to, now that everyone hated him again.  Dejected, his shoulders slumped and he gently pulled the door open, stepping into the darkened house.

An arm wrapped about his waist and a hand slid over his chest to clamp down hard on his mouth.  Yugi struggles were futile and a familiar dark chuckle made him cease and dangle limply in his captor's grip.

"That's better," snapped Yami, dropping the boy sharply.  "But it was a lie, wasn't it?  You are not half so complacent as you pretend to me, are you, Yugi?"  He didn't wait for an answer, but kicked out sharply.  Yugi's breath whooshed out as he wondered feebly why Yami was home so early.  "You disgust me, brat.  And you betrayed me as well.  You gave that accursed Tomb Robber that whip, didn't you?  Well?"  He flipped Yugi over and stepped easily on his spine, grabbing a fistful of hair and jerking it back to look at the teen's terrified face.  His own expression grew darker.  "Well?"  Amber eyes fearful and full of agonizing pain, Yugi nodded.  His head slammed into the floor so fast that the pain was all that told him anything had occurred.  His broken and bloody nose painted his face grotesquely as Yami kicked him into the kitchen and made sure the sound-proofing spells were up.  He smiled at Tea, who was beginning to adopt his desire to cause pain, and squatted beside the weeping hikari.

"Do you know how wonderful screams sound, Yugi?" he asked, smiling now.  Yugi couldn't stop to answer him through panicked sobs that wracked his thin frame painfully, and Yami slapped him, still smiling.  As the sobs turned to hiccups, he started to talk again.  "Only recently have I recovered more of my memories.  From my times of ruling Egypt.  And I have found myself missing some of my hobbies.  Will you help me with them, slave?"  Yugi nodded, knowing better than to refuse what Yami required of him.  The smile grew into a twisted, pleased snarl.  "Good."  And white hot pain, red hot pain, blue yellow and orange hot pain flared as it was inflicted on the light's body.

```````````````````````````

"Good God," breathed Malik as he climbed through the kitchen window.  Marik followed warily, eyes narrowing further at the sight of the boy they had come for.

Yugi was sprawled upon the tiled and slightly bloody floor as if thrown by a giant hand.  His breath came in shallow, desperate gasps, and his face – where it was not covered in blood from the broken nose – was a ghastly white.  Now and then he twitched slightly, as though trying to ward off the pain still coursing through his body.  Worse still were the rents in his school shirt.  Holes really, they showed the astonished duo blackened skin, burned so thoroughly that the blisters were weeping sores over charred flesh, and the smell of the torture still lingered foully in the air.  Blackened marks around the wrists and electrical cords ripped apart were a testimony to electrocution, and Malik seemed on the verge of hurling.  Marik was quicker on the uptake; lifting the wounded Yugi and escaping out the window the way he and his hikari had come in.  Malik followed quietly.

"We have to get him to a hospital," murmured Malik when they reached the road.  "He might die otherwise; I certainly don't know how to treat him."  Marik raised an eyebrow.

"That's what your Rod is for, hikari.  It can heal, you know," he sounded amused, despite the gravity of the situation.  Malik gave him a puzzled glance in return.

"Huh?"

"The Millennium Rod, Malik, it has other powers beside mind control, though not so mighty as the Puzzle."

"Oh," said Malik thoughtfully.  They hastened to load Yugi in the car.  "At any rate, we still better hurry."

```````````````````````````

Yugi groaned and sat up stiffly.  He was in a bed, but the room wasn't his.  What was going on?  He turned his head stiffly to see a picture on the nightstand.  It was of two platinum blond youths …

"Oh no," he breathed, "How'd I wind up here?  Yami's gonna kill me … but … didn't he (yawn) do that already?"

"Nope," said Marik cheerily from the doorway.  "I don't think the intended to kill you anyway.  He stopped before it could become truly life-threatening."  He frowned at the teen as he walked into the room.  "Now what exactly is going on anyway?  Yami's been beating you, right?  Why?"  Yugi winced and looked away.

"He hasn't been beating me.  I – get bullied at school."

"Yeah, you get the stuffing knocked out of you alright, but that's only because Yami told everyone you were evil and made your best friends hate you," pointed out Malik, who was apparently behind Yugi.  "But bullies don't leave you half-dead on your kitchen floor after you already walked home from school without being molested for a change."

"And we looked into that too.  Yami told them not to kick the crap out of you that day 'cuz he was gonna do it himself.  So what exactly is he after?"  Sleepy, Yugi confessed.

"I found some papers in his desk," he yawned.  "Yami wants the money and stuff that Grandpa left me, so he wants me to (yawn) to sign a paper saying that everything I own, including me, is owned by him.  He calls himself 'Pharaoh' and me 'slave' and Tea 'queen'.  I think he's cr – cr – cracked (huge yawn) and he thinks he's gotta break me and make me sign it.  I gave Bakura's whip ba-ack after he beat me up for it and Yami found out and hurt me again … "  He woke up a bit more and sniffed back tears.  "I hate him!  He hurts me and I can't … do anything.  Ryou's yami loves him.  Same for you two.  You just don't know what it's like!  I trusted him!  He was my Yami; my darkness!  He saved me after I saved him and he helped me.  I loved him like a brother … and then he kicked me out.  Not that it took much; I'm not that hard to kick."  He sighed and wiped his amber eyes.  "Happy now?"

"No," said Malik, more gently than his normal rough-and-tumble attitude.  "I'm not happy because my friend is not happy.  I'm not happy because I let my friend be hurt.  And I'm not happy because my yami lost to Bakura for a whip he bullied off of you!"  He got a chuckle for that last, and Yugi shivered beneath the blanket.

"Bakura bought the whip; Yami stole it.  Marik loses either way."

"Hey!" protested Marik; reaching out to cuff Yugi indignantly.  The boy shied away.

"Marik!" scolded Malik.  "He's just been beaten for months!  Stupid yamis'," he muttered, rolling his eyes.  "Oof!"  Marik sat atop his hikari triumphantly.

"That should take the stuffing out of you!" he crowed.  Malik punched him and a wrestle ensued while Yugi watched, half-terrified and half-amused.

"I'm more mature than you," he mocked when they finished, both flushed and ruffled.  They stuck out their tongues at him and Yugi grinned.  He liked it here.  Wait.

"Why am I here?" he asked suddenly.

"Because we followed you home from school and saw the results of your encounter with Pharaoh butt-head," said Marik.  "You've been out for days, but we got you healed up pretty well.  The rest will take a bit though, and until we can get rid of Yami you'll stay here.  He doesn't know you're with us, and we'll get the principal to send your work home so you can keep your grades up."

"Oh, don't worry about it.  I've just about finished for the year anyway.  There's not much else to do but the end of the year exams.  I had so much free time with everyone ignoring me that I asked for work ahead of class schedule.  My teachers won't care that I'm out 'sick', and Yami sure won't report me missing.  He'll probably go find me on his own."  Yugi winced at the thought.  "Um, how well can you hide me?"

"Pretty well.  Been experimenting with the Rod; it can be used to hide your presence, though it does tend to wear off after so long a time period," commented Malik.  Marik snickered.

"Yeah.  You figured that one out after how long?  Plus, you managed to turn yourself into a frog twice while experimenting with it!  Twice!"  He started laughing.  Malik looked at him sourly.

"I still know how to do that spell, you know.  And I'm sure it can be adjusted to annoying yamis'."  Marik tackled him again and wrestling resumed; Yugi smiling contentedly at the pair as he fell asleep feeling safe for the first time in what seemed like forever.

*

A/N:  How'd I do?  I had to do some humor this chappy; sry.  Things get interesting in future chapters as people get to know Yami for what he really is and Yugi recovers throughout bouts of laughter and the irrepressible natures of his new loony companions.  Next chapter: **Recovery**.

Reviews are welcomed and necessary.  Feed the author!


	5. Recovery

**Childhood Was For Fantasies**

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

A/N:  Sorry this took so long; I really do appreciate all the new reviews I'm getting!  I'll try to update again soon, because this is definitely one of my better fics!

**Chapter 5: Recovery**

**_Last Time…_**

"I still know how to do that spell, you know.  And I'm sure it can be adjusted to annoying yamis'."  Marik tackled him again and wrestling resumed; Yugi smiling contentedly at the pair as he fell asleep feeling safe for the first time in what seemed like forever.

*

"C'mon Yugi, you have to eat more than that!" said Malik, exasperated, as the tiny hikari stubbornly warded off his attempts to stuff a third helping into him.  Marik smirked from the couch.

"Malik, really.  If you feed him anymore he'll explode."

"But he's so light!"

"_And_ he's also almost two whole feet shorter than you.  Unless, of course, you don't _mind_ him blowing up and leaving a mess - "

"Mar~ik!" Malik whined.  Yugi took advantage of the opportunity and fled back to the guest bedroom.  The blonde hikari glared after him and pouted in Marik's direction.  "Now look what you've done!"

"What I've done?!  What do you mean, you pathetic excuse of a fat-assed - "

Yugi closed the door and grinned before moving to the bed.  He had been living with the two (formerly) insane look-alikes for an entire week, and it had been one of the best recoveries in his short memory.  Of course, it would have been nicer had it been Seto who rescued him, but really, that was expecting a bit much …

Contemplating the tall, brown-haired teen, Yugi sighed, his eyes fluttering shut as he fantasized the elder Kaiba admitting his undying love to the spiky-haired hikari.  It was his greatest wish, and over the past month or so, Yugi's crush had turned to something close to love, even if Seto didn't notice him.  Oh how he wished though, that Seto liked him.  Mokuba was an added bonus, admittedly, as he was one of the few people Yugi knew loved him for who he was, and would never betray him except to perhaps save the life of his elder brother, and Yugi would sympathize with him in that case.

Idly wondering what Seto was doing at the moment, Yugi was startled when the doorbell rang.  Remembering the drill (in case the caller was Yami), he dove under the bed, tugging down hard on his hair as he heard Malik move to answer.  The door creaked open.

"Ryou!" came Malik's surprised voice.  "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I came to see if Yugi was alright - "

"Yugi?  Oh, no, he's not here.  What, he's not at the Pharaoh's?  I thought he was just out sick…"  Yugi was very impressed with the other teen's blatant lies.  Another voice interrupted his mental cheers though, and made him cringe back in shock and fear.

"Don't be so foolish, child," growled the voice of Yami Bakura.  "You two have made Ryou upset; we followed the Millennium Ring to the Puzzle, and it led us straight here."  Malik could be heard cursing as Marik emerged to confront his rival (and friend).

"My hikari is not to be spoken to so insolently, Tomb Robber," he warned, but Malik cut him off.

"What exactly do you want with Yugi?" he asked, and the aforementioned hikari could picture his menacing yet defensive posture, and was glad the other was on his side.

"We merely want to know where he's been.  He hasn't been in school in over a week, as of yesterday," said Ryou soothingly.  "I was worried about him."  There was a moment of silence before Malik sighed.

"Very well.  Come on in."  He came over to the bedroom as Marik led the two white-haired youths into the kitchen.  "Yugi?"  The boy crawled out and stood with an anxious look.

"Yami's not with them, is he?"

"No.  Come on, I guess you should at least let Ryou know that you're alright, or Bakura won't be getting any for a while, and that'd make him even crankier."  Yugi grinned tiredly and followed his host.  "Are you okay?" asked Malik as they left.  The shorter boy nodded, yawning.

"I still haven't caught up to that healing the Rod did on me, I guess.  Is it supposed to last this long?"  Malik frowned.

"I don't know.  That was the first I even knew I could do that, much less how the aftereffects go - " he cut off as they too entered the kitchen to find the other three waiting.  Ryou stood with a relieved smile.

"Yugi!  You're here!"

"Well, Malik said he was, didn't he?" snapped Marik.  Ryou rolled his eyes as his yami took offense at Marik's tone and the two began to argue.  Yugi blinked.

"Hey Ryou … Bakura."  The Tomb Robber ignored him, but Ryou walked over … and started frowning.

"Yugi, you don't look so good.  What happened?"

"See?" crowed Malik.  "I told you he had to eat more!"

"That's definitely part of it," agreed Ryou.  "But his bruises - "

"Didn't you notice he was getting picked on again?" asked Malik incredulously.  "Oh wait, I forgot, you were with your dad, right?"  Ryou nodded, and Yugi sighed.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Ryou.  "Or, like, Yami or somebody - "  Again, Malik interrupted.

"Yami?  Yami's the one who went around spreading that stupid rumor that Yugi went evil, don't you remember?"

"Ryou was out sick that day," said Bakura defensively, "and I … forgot to tell him."

"It's okay," said Yugi softly, diffusing the rising tension.  "I'm easy to miss, if you're not actively looking for me."

"But still …" protested Ryou.  "And that cut the day you returned my yami's whip?"  Yugi wandered over to the rack of cookbooks on the counter.

"Yami."

"What?!" yelled the normally soft-spoken Ryou.  Bakura just looked shocked, before his face darkened.

"Stupid, lousy, arrogant bastard Pharaoh," he began.  Marik shushed him frantically.

"Not in front of the hikaris!" he hissed.  "You'll corrupt them …"

"Yours is already using that language regularly," sniped the fair-haired teen, but he desisted after considering Ryou and Yugi.  The latter smirked slightly.

"Don't worry; it's nothing I haven't heard before.  I promise I won't repeat it _too_ often …"  He rolled his eyes at the collective stare of surprise he was receiving.  "Honestly, you'd think I was five or something …" he sighed to the air.  He turned back to Ryou seriously.

"Yes, Yami.  I think he was in the Puzzle one Millennium too long, because really, he's losing it.  Don't worry; it should be fine once we can find a way to – to …"

"Send him to the Shadow Realm?" asked Marik, surprisingly gentle.  The amber-eyed teen nodded sadly, sniffing.

"I can't … he can't be allowed to roam; he's just too … dangerous."

"But Yugi, can't he change?" asked Ryou.  "I mean; look at my yami; he's - "

"No," whispered Yugi.  "My yami doesn't regret what he does, and he tricked me into trusting him from the beginning.  He's after the Game Shop, and … me.  He wants what Grandpa left to me in his will."

"Wow.  Is it really worth that much?  I mean; it's just a Game Shop …"  Yugi shook his head.

"It's far more than that.  Grandpa was allowed to keep what he found on his best dig ever.  I stand to inherit – in three years – over 300 million US dollars, not including the several hundred thousand we made off the Shop.  So, you see, Yami stands to make a lot if he can get me to hand it over …"  Looks of dawning comprehension.

"Ooo …" winced Ryou.  Yugi nodded sadly.

"I just – he cannot be let loose on the world with that much money and still believing himself to be what he once was – a Pharaoh of Egypt!"

``````````````````````````````````````````

Yami paced the room angrily; Tea watching him.

"Where is that little asshole?" he snarled.  "Something's blocking the Millennium Puzzle … Yugi, you little shit, you are in so much trouble!"  Tea sighed, resigned.

"What if it isn't him blocking the signal?" she offered.  "In fact, I'm willing to bet that that last lesson you gave him still has him shuddering; what if one of the other Millennium Item holders found him?  Could they block you?"  Yami stopped in surprise.

"Tea," he murmured, "I am willing to bet that's it.  How could it not be?  Obviously the wife of a Pharaoh would be smarter than your average woman."  He kissed her thoroughly.  "Now let's find if Shadi, Isis, or the assorted fags has my slave kept hidden from my view …"

*

A/N:  Dun, dun, dun!  Review!

Okei, I keep getting asked why Yami's evil.  He's evil b/c I wanted a Seto/Yugi pairing and for Yugi to be beaten up, but if Yami was nice, I'd probably end up with it S/Y/YY, so … here you are!


	6. The Mind of a Kaiba

Childhood Was For Fantasies 

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

A/N:  Sorry this keeps taking so long!  I have so many tests right now!  And family keeps coming over every weekend.  What went wrong with the concept of 'free time?'  *wails*  Well, on with the next chapter.  Enjoy.

**Chapter 6: The Mind of a Kaiba**

**_Last Time…_**

"Tea," he murmured, "I am willing to bet that's it.  How could it not be?  Obviously the wife of a Pharaoh would be smarter than your average woman."  He kissed her thoroughly.  "Now let's find if Shadi, Isis, or the assorted fags has my slave kept hidden from my view …"

*

Seto glanced around his classroom, frowning.  He had been gone from school for the past month, fixing what that Ra-be-damned hacker had destroyed.  He had been looking forward to seeing Yugi again.  He started at the thought.  Since when had he grown so fond of Yami's hikari?  His eyes narrowed in thought, and he made a quiet wish that Yugi still wanted to come over his mansion.  Besides, he wanted to know what exactly had been going on since that wild story of Yami's saying his hikari was a menace.  What a load of shit.  Yugi couldn't intimidate a flea; he tended to be a pushover.  So why exactly did he find himself attracted…?  Kaiba shook his head.  Mokuba had asked him to invite Yugi over anyway, which was why he was perusing the classroom.  But there was only one spiky head present …

Yami was sitting beside Tea and Tristan, chatting happily and looking arrogant.  Per usual, there was no Yugi nearby, but (more unusual) there was no Yugi even present in the classroom.  Ryou, Bakura, Marik, and Malik were gathered around their own table, talking seriously and casting loathe-filled glances in Yami's direction.  Normally, Seto would never lower himself to actually talk to Yugi's crowd (except for Yugi and Serenity), especially the two platinum blondes, but he wanted to know where Yugi was.

All four youths (can you really call the yamis youths, though…?) looked surprised when he stalked over, but they weren't so unbalanced that a recovery was necessary.  Bakura sneered at him.

"What do you want, Kaiba?" he snapped.  Seto ignored him.

"Ryou, may I have a word?  Privately."  He sneered back at the suspicious yami.  "Had I been going to hurt him, trust me, it would have been more circumspect."  Bakura watched reluctantly as Ryou stood and walked away with the CEO.

"Yes, Kaiba?" asked Ryou politely, once they were a distance away.

"Where's Yugi?"  That, Ryou had not been expecting.

"Wh-what?" he squeaked.  Seto glared.

"Do I really need to repeat myself?"

"N-no.  Not at all," he stuttered.  "He's … out sick.  Yami Yugi could probably let you know how he's doing, but it must be really bad because he's been gone over a week - "  Seto's glare increased in power.

"Fine."  And he walked away, fuming at the idea of asking that stupid Pharaoh anything.  Ryou breathed a barely audible sigh of relief and hurried back to the others to tell them of this latest development.

``````````````````````````````

He gave in and approached Yami at lunch.

"Hey, baka, you there?" he asked, trying to get Yami's attention.  The teen's head whipped around and Seto idly noted that he wasn't even a close second in the looks department to his counterpart's beauty.  His smirk grew.  "What's with this whole Yugi being sick thing Ryou told me about?"  He noted, with no little confusion, that Yami seemed infuriated by the reference to his hikari.

"He's sick.  That's it," ground out Yami through clenched teeth.  "And stay the fuck away from my light, ass-hole."  Seto's smirk vanished and he nearly snarled at Yami.

"I'll talk to him if I damn well please, you arrogant - "  He broke off as Tea fidgeted.  She was wearing …

"Why is that slut wearing the Millennium Puzzle?"  Yami shot a glance at Tea and cursed vividly.  She petted it protectively and scowled at Seto.

"Yami's letting me wear it.  Yugi betrayed him and threw it away.  You've missed a lot Kaiba, or you'd know that Yugi's changed.  He's _so_ antisocial and completely arrogant.  He actually _told_ me that he was better than us!  And if you had seen what - "  Seto really did snarl this time.

"What a load of bullshit.  You were the ones who shut Yugi out in the first place!  And to think you were supposed to be his friends.  You traded him in for the world-class butthead!"  He jerked his head at Yami.  A gasp from behind him made Seto turn.  Joey was staring from him to Yami in horror; his chocolate eyes wide and hurt.  Mai hugged him close and led him away.  Kaiba shook his head.  What was _that_ all about?  Yami's muttered curse turned him back to the crimson-eyed Egyptian and they engaged in a staring match.  Seto won.

``````````````````````````````

"Wheeler, Valentine.  A word."  Joey and Mai looked up to see Seto Kaiba blocking their path home.  Joey was still staring into space in shock, and Mai was worried.  Seto let his confusion show.  "What is wrong with him?"  Mai sighed and looked away.

"You're not gonna like this …" she muttered.  "Come on Kaiba.  We need to get Joey home."  The brown-haired teen looked at her questioningly but did as he was bid.  He had to find out what was wrong with Yugi.

``````````````````````````````

Mai shooed Joey to an armchair and sat beside him.  Seto stood.

"You've missed a lot, Kaiba," she said.  "And you shot your mouth off too soon.  I had hoped to break this to him gently …" She smoothed Joey's hair, and the boy turned to look at her.

"Ya knew?" he whispered.  She nodded sympathetically.

"I was afraid you wouldn't believe me if I told you what was really going on.  And I'm not sure I know the half of it."  Joey let out a sigh of his own, but looked up at his guest's (Kaiba as my _guest_? he wondered.  The world just wants ta shock me taday …) impatience.

"Um, yeah.  Kaiba, everyone believed Yami."  Seto looked clueless.  "About Yuge bein' evil incarnate."  The business-teen looked stunned.

"And those who didn't believe were mostly too happy with the poor kid's lowered status to say anything," added Mai.  "Yugi went back to being a punching-bag for the school bullies.  I've been trying to get near him, but convincing Joey without shocking him took up most of my time."

"… And now, I'm not so sure he's just 'sick,'" muttered Joey slowly.  "When I went ta see him yesterday Yami said he was at da doctor's but Yuge told me they had a house doc.  He comes to them, not da other way 'round."  Mai looked proud of him, but Seto's shock grew.  That cut … Yugi's fear … Yugi …

"He's been hurting him!" he snarled.  The blondes looked at him in fearful surprise.

"What?!"

"Yugi was hurt.  Just awhile before that glitch hit … he showed up at my place with a really nasty cut on his face.  And he kept getting jumpy every time Yami was mentioned … that stupid Pharaoh must be hurting him!"  He moved toward the door, looking murderous.  Joey stopped him.

"If dat's true … ya might make things worse for Yuge if ya go there now," he said softly.  "Yami's got Shadow Powers you an' me can only dream of.  We should get backup."

"Marik, Malik, Shadi, Ishizu, Bakura and Ryou," said Mai, going to the phone.  "I'll call them now.  We need to get Yugi outta there."  Seto only nodded.

"Tell them …" his voice croaked a bit, and his companions looked at him strangely.  "Tell them to meet at my place."  Mai nodded, understanding dawning on her face.

"I will," she promised.

*

A/N:  I know it's short, but it was a good ending spot and I feel really guilty for not updating in so long.  I am dying to type the next chapter – cuz it's so exciting – but I figure to feed you this now as slight compensation and a promise that I **will** update.  It just might take a little time …  I hope to have the next one up by tonight or tomorrow, but my relations just got here …

Please review.  This story doesn't have many.


	7. Yugi Alone

Childhood Was For Fantasies 

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

A/N:  okei, minor warning:  The stupid Document Manager thing wouldn't load all of this chapter properly, so some of the stuff that's supposed to be in italics is not, and some of the stuff that's supposed to be indented isn't either.  Sorry, but it won't fix it.  I tried!

Next, um, 'person' reviewed and asked: 'what is slash?'  So, yeah.  It's boy/boy love.  Um, gay relationships?  If you need a bigger explanation, just email me.  I didn't know before last year either.  In fact, I think I found out by asking another author as well.  I do wish you had sent this as an email though.  Confessions are embarrassing…

Oh!  But if (I'm still talking to 'person') you think that's disgusting, do me a favor and check out one or two of the better slash stories.  You'll be converted, I swear!  If you read Harry Potter, a good story is Flawed Lines, by diagonalist (or anything by said author) and Faith, by Dragongirl16.  If you stick to YGO, good stories are:  Bound Not Broken, and Kiss of A Rose.  There are better, but I don't want to go to the effort of thinking of them.  Sorry, 'tis my weekend.

This story is going to be slash with Seto and Yugi and Malik and Marik and Ryou and Bakura, okei?  Then again, if you've read all the way to this chapter you probably do like slash since the … first? … chapter ends with Ryou and Bakura heading up to the bedroom.  Never fear though, I've not written a lemon or lime (sex scene between gay people) in my life, because I'm scared I'll do it wrong.

That's another thing.  Could anyone (who has a story up that I can read) write a slash scene for me?  I'd like to see your work first, but I doubt I'd be courageous enough to try it on my own, so…

Thanks for all the reviews!  Please keep them coming!

Here's the next chapter:

**Chapter 7:  Yugi Alone**

Last Time… 

****

_"Tell them …" his voice croaked a bit, and his companions looked at him strangely.  "Tell them to meet at my place."  Mai nodded, understanding dawning on her face._

_"I will," she promised._

*

Yugi jumped when the phone rang, and Malik scowled in the direction of the kitchen.

"Marik!  Get that!"

"No!"

"Why the hell not?!"

"I don't want to!"

"You're closer!"

"You need the exercise!"

"Are you saying I'm _fat_?!"

"… yes …" Marik's voice sounded taunting.  Malik was steamed, and Yugi was giggling.

"Marik!" Malik whined.  There was a sigh from the kitchen.

"Fine, fine, I'll get it … Hello?  Valentine, why are you calling me? … Kaiba's … why?  _Yugi?"_  They froze, and stopped their chess game.  "Oh, um, yes, we'll be right there."  The phone clicked down into its receiver and Marik came into the living room.  He looked slightly uneasy.  "Malik, you and I have to go to Kaiba's.  Valentine said something about needing help for Yugi…"  He shot a glace at the wide-eyed hikari.

"Stay in the bedroom and leave the upper window – the one not facing the tree – slightly open so someone can hear you if you shout.  If anyone comes, hide in the closet.  Keep the cell phone with you."  Yugi nodded solemnly and scampered away up the stairs.  Malik started grabbing discarded items:  a puzzle, a hairbrush with distinctly colored hair in it – anything that might hint to another inhabitant of the Ishtar household.

And then they left, Marik locking the door behind them.

````````````````````````````

Yami was on the warpath.  Joey was bound to be turned by that stupid CEO, and it was all Yugi's fault!  If that stupid brat hadn't vanished everything would be developing according to plan, and his plot wouldn't be endangered.  There was only one solution.  He had to find Yugi and break him quickly, before anyone could stop him.

Yami wasn't stupid.  He knew that Bakura and Ryou had suddenly begun whispering suspiciously with those two blondes.  One of the four knew where Yugi was; perhaps had been the one to take him in the first place…

And the best way to a yami's secret was through his hikari.

```````````````````````````

Ryou hung slightly behind his yami as they headed home, rummaging through his backpack for a pen.

"Have you got it yet?" queried Bakura for the fifth time in thirty seconds, sounding impatient.

"Not yet, _koi_," murmured the teen, "and I don't see why it's so important that I fetch it now, of all times.  It's only a pen - "

"And I want to use it!"

Ryou sighed and rolled his eyes at his yami's whine.

A rustle of clothing was his only warning, but Bakura whirled –

Too late.

Ryou's cry of shock was still leaving his lips as the Tomb Robber started angrily towards Yugi's yami, who was poised over the fallen boy.  Yami smirked nastily, and lowered a hand to Ryou's head.  Bakura froze at the look in the Pharaoh's eyes …

And at the glow of Shadow Magic clenched in the tri-color haired boy's fist.

"No!" he said.  For the first time in his life Bakura felt the stirrings of fear.  Yami Yugi couldn't be so cruel as to banish his hikari –

But he could.  And Bakura should know better than anyone, having been on the receiving end of more than one of the Pharaoh's heavy-handed and bloodthirsty edicts back in Ancient Egypt.  And now instead of his family, it was Ryou, his light … his _love_ … lying on the ground at the mercy of the crimson-eyed teen.  Bakura called himself several kinds of a fool for not being there to protect his hikari; for not being able to prevent this horror that could destroy the only thing he still held dear …

And Ryou's eyes were large with fright …

"Thief."  Yami's voice jerked him back to the present.  "Where would my hikari be hiding?"  His hand, still glowing, touched Ryou's hair in an almost gentle caress.  Bakura flinched, but his mind was still working.

"How would I know?  Have you lost your hikari oh Pharaoh?" he mocked.  Ryou whimpered as Yami's hand tightened in his hair.

"You know where Yugi is," stated the boy darkly.  "Tell me where he is or I shall banish this little piece of garbage to the Shadow Realm.  I'm sure I won't miss him."

"It's not that simple Pharaoh.  You'll probably banish him even though I don't know where your stupid little light is," snarled the white-haired spirit, looking murderous.  Yami pulled Ryou to his feet and hit a pressure point of the neck.  The hikari passed out, and Yami caught him.  Bakura stepped forward a tad, but Yami's hand still glowed on Ryou's neck, so he simply watched helplessly as the other yami picked up the boy and cradled him in a parody of heroism.  "Put him down!"

"Well, now you can _take_ me to where Yugi is," said Yami, knowing he still retained the upper hand.  "As soon as I have Yugi, I frankly don't care what happens to you two, so Ryou will accompany me to wherever while you wait outside.  Once I have Yugi I'll send your little fuck toy out and everything will be fine, ne?"  Bakura clenched his fists, but what could he do?  If he didn't agree then Ryou was certainly doomed, and if he did agree then at least … there would be a chance.

The spirit of the Millennium Ring nodded slowly and led Yami Yugi toward Malik's home …

````````````````````````

Yugi was bored.  Once the novelty of possible discovery had worn off he had found himself sitting alone in a bedroom with no way to occupy himself.  No games, no Malik to jump upon, nothing.

He sighed, and had started playing 'see-how-high-I-can-toss-the-cell-phone' when he heard the front door splinter.

Barely catching the phone on its way down, Yugi yelped in surprise and scrambled to the closet, burying himself in the laundry hamper, pushing the 'call' button as he went.

It rang.

_Footsteps on the stairs._

Rang a second time.

_Doors creaking as they opened._

Rang a third time.

_The bedroom door swings, pushed by a hand._

Marik picked up.

"Hello?"

_The closet door opened and the noises indicated the small space was being ransacked.  Knowing Yami would find him anyway, Yugi gave up on being silent_.

"Marik, Marik!"

"Yugi?  Please let this be a prank call - "

_The hamper was upturned and Yugi tumbled out.  Yami went for the phone, and Yugi curled around it protectively, yelping as Yami hit him._

"M-marik!  Help!  Yami - "  _Yami stepped on the phone angrily, and it broke.  He kicked Yugi out of the closet and into the bedroom, where Ryou lay, still unconscious._

_"R-ryou!" squeaked Yugi.  Yami grabbed his newly-found light's arm and twisted._

"Yes, R-ryou," he mocked; the first words he had said.  Yugi struggled.

_"What did you do to him, Yami?" he (more or less – probably less) growled.  Yami hit him, making a half-healed cut break open once again._

"Don't ask questions, slave.  Had you the strength to use your own powers you would not bother to ask.  Instead you bounce about preaching on non-violence" He spat the word. "And taking care of one another.  Honorable sentiments.  For a fool."  He slammed the small teen into the window, and Yugi desperately covered his eyes as glass rained down, slicing his face.  "No possession of mine should think such thoughts.  I had hoped to cure you of that, little Yugi."  He tossed the boy to the floor and brought his foot down expertly on the hikari's ankle.  There was a loud crack of the bone breaking, and Yugi screamed as the pain shot through him.  Yami kept his foot on the broken section and smirked at the youth.

_"You're pathetic.  Not even worth my time."  He stepped away and bent down so he could look at Yugi's face on the floor.  Tears leaked from amber pools, and the angelic face was drawn in pain.  Yugi whimpered as Yami reached out to touch him … before slapping him harshly.  Yugi literally saw stars, and when his vision cleared his yami was holding a knife._

_"No," he murmured, still crying and tried to drag himself away.  Yami gripped his shoulder, gaze intent as he cut open the little light's shirt and drew patterns on the bruised chest, not yet drawing blood.  "Please, Ya – Pharaoh, no."  He keened as the blade dug in his skin; drawing deep lines wherever it would not be fatal to the fragile being Yami was slowly torturing.  Yugi's cries were barely audible through his sobs, and Yami ignored him anyway._

_Eventually the boy drew back, and observed the boy smugly.  "You are mine, little hikari, and no one can change that.  It's something you'd best remember.  Who would want _you_ anyway?  You're scrawny and weak, and you cry far too easily.  A mere child in a world of adults.  You are pathetic, Yugi, and it's time you made yourself useful in serving me.  It is only right."  Yugi shook his head, weak but vehement in his determination to prevent his yami from taking power.  Yami scowled at him and stood gracefully._

_"Very well then, I will have to break you.  First, I believe we shall begin with Ryou."  He moved for the prostrate boy before pausing and frowning at Yugi, puzzled.  "Ah, yes, I forgot.  We must renew the mind-link for you to have the proper attitude.  At least until you are broken."  He pulled the Millennium Puzzle from a bag near Ryou and tossed it to Yugi, who reached for it with shaky hands, amazed and fearful that his darker side had granted him the tools for the being's destruction.  He pulled it over his neck cautiously, the familiar weight of the chain reassuring him.  Yami again turned for Ryou._

_"Yami," Yugi whispered, "What are you doing?"  His yami did not look nice as he paused above the white-haired boy's head.  He raised his hands in an all too familiar movement.  "Yami?"_

_"MIND CRUSH!"_

_"NO!"_

*

A/N:  I've seen so many other authors do this thing (the cliffee and the conversation below) that I just had to.  Forgive me!

tati1:  Evil?  Yes, I am, thank you!

Ryou:  You just Mind-Crushed me!

tati1:  Calm down, I won't kill you.  Take a look at the story; there're hints.

Ryou:  Am I dead or not?!

tati1:  You'll just have to wait for the update!

Yugi:  But you never update!

tati1:  (rubs head sheepishly)  I try, honest.

Yami:  And you made me evil!

tati1:  If you have a complaint about it you should have mentioned that in the first chapter!

Yami:  (sighs)

I promise to update as soon as I can, but my schedule is shot to hell at the moment.  Sorry for the cliffee, but try to be patient with me!  And REVIEW!!!!

PS – oh, um, note:  Yami gives Yugi the Puzzle so that, with the connection renewed, he can know that there is no hope for salvation, and that it is his (Yugi's) fault for Ryou's destruction in the first place.  And no, I will not kill Ryou.  Or banish him.  Maybe.  ;)


	8. A Little Miracle

Childhood Was For Fantasies 

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

A/N:  Hullo, sorry for the cliffie!  I'll let you get on to the next chapter and then please read the A/Ns at the bottom.

Seriously, read them.  It's important.

**Chapter 8: A Little Miracle**

Last Time… 

****

_"Very well then, I will have to break you.  First, I believe we shall begin with Ryou."  He moved for the prostrate boy before pausing and frowning at Yugi, puzzled.  "Ah, yes, I forgot.  We must renew the mind-link for you to have the proper attitude.  At least until you are broken."  He pulled the Millennium Puzzle from a bag near Ryou and tossed it to Yugi, who reached for it with shaky hands, amazed and fearful that his darker side had granted him the tools for the being's destruction.  He pulled it over his neck cautiously, the familiar weight of the chain reassuring him.  Yami again turned for Ryou._

_"Yami," Yugi whispered, "What are you doing?"  His yami did not look nice as he paused above the white-haired boy's head.  He raised his hands in an all too familiar movement.  "Yami?"_

_"MIND CRUSH!"_

_"NO!"_

*

(A/N:  READ THE FRIGGIN' AUTHOR NOTES AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER!  GOT IT???!!  Serpent of Light (my beta reader):  *dryly* I think they got it …)

Seto looked over the assembled group and frowned.  Two were missing.

"Where are Yami Bakura and Ryou?" he queried, looking for the white-haired couple.  Mai shrugged.

"They didn't answer the phone, I guess they're out somewhere."  Seto frowned to himself, but was distracted by an antsy Malik.

"So … what exactly did you want, Kaiba?  Make it fast; we need to get home."

"It's Yugi," started Seto.  "I think there's something wrong.  I mean, I thought so before, but then there was all that trouble with the company and I wasn't around … we think Yami Yugi has been abusing him.  I don't think he's sick at all …"

"And you called us why?" asked Ishizu softly from the back of the room.

"Because … we need to get Motou out of there," said Seto.  Everyone (but Mai, who was clued in) blinked.  Was the cold CEO actually saying that he cared about anyone but his brother?  Apparently.  "And I doubt that Yami will give him up easily.  Mai, Joey and I possess no Shadow Powers of our own; we ask for your help -"  He was cut off by an exclamation from Marik as the platinum blonde leapt in shock and smacked his pants pocket.

"What in the name of Ra was that?!" he yelled.  Malik leapt at him.

"The cell phone!!"

It appeared that the item was on 'vibrator' mode because there was no noise from the object, but it took awhile to get it out of Marik's pocket.  Seto shot the duo exasperated looks as they whipped it out.  Malik appeared to be praying.

"Hello?" asked Marik, glancing nervously at the others present.  He frowned as whoever was on the other line responded.  "Yugi?"  Everyone jumped; looking at the couple in shock.  Marik ignored them.  "Please let this be a joke -"  There was an audible yelp on the other end of the line, and a muffled shout.  Marik paled –

– And the phone went dead.

``````````````````````````

"So Yugi has been living with you two for the past however-long?" asked Joey, blinking.  "Man, am I outta it …"  Everyone was crammed into Seto's spacious limo, speeding toward Malik and Marik's house.  The two had related everything in the first fifteen minutes, and Seto seemed to be … blushing?  'Hm,' mused Malik, 'I suppose panicking isn't normal for the former High Priest of Egypt.'  He snickered quietly; despite the danger Yugi was in, the thought of Seto Kaiba losing his cool was just … He sighed happily … amusing …

Marik was the first out as the limo pulled to a halt before his house.  There was a gold and black glow coming from the bedroom Yugi had hidden in.

"Oh, Ra, no," he whispered, dashing up to his demolished front door.  Seto was right behind him, Malik and the rest of the group following, pale despite – or perhaps because of – the lack of noise from the house.

They hastened to the bedroom, but none were prepared for what had occurred …

`````````````````````````

"No!" wept Yami Bakura; desperately holding a glassy-eyed Ryou.  He didn't notice what was occurring around him, and he didn't care.  If Ryou was gone …  There was no reason to live.

His ears deaf and eyes unseeing, Bakura conjured a knife out of Shadows and examined it for a moment.  He raised it –

- To be stopped by a familiar white hand.

Ryou sat up as the knife dropped from Bakura's nerveless fingers.

"Oh, yami," the boy sighed sadly, looking at the knife, but was cut off as the disbelieving and incredibly happy Tomb Robber pulled him into a hard kiss.  Violet eyes closed in the background, and the bedroom door slammed open as Marik tumbled in …

````````````````````````

Yami stood laughing in the center of the room, dark shadows swirling about his lean frame.  Behind him, Yugi was lying on the floor, his eyes closed and blood on his face.  He was also … glowing?!  Seto stared as Yami's laughter began to fade and the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle noticed that Ryou was moving.

"What?!" he growled, as the white-haired lovers kissed, oblivious to the Pharaoh.  "I sent him to the Shadow Realm!  What could have - " The room was enveloped in light.

"You told me I had the Power, Yami," came a familiar, soft voice from behind the bewildered man.  He whirled.

"Yugi!  What are you doing?!"  The former Pharaoh looked enraged as the defiant hikari slowly levered himself to a sitting position.

"Yami," Yugi's voice echoed in the golden light, "Yami, I found the Power.  You gave it back to me, Yami.  The Puzzle helped me to bring back Ryou - "

"No!"

"- And now, it will help me to destroy you … I'm so sorry Yami …"  The Puzzle pulsed and the golden air rippled …

And all Yami knew was darkness.

`````````````````````````

When the light finally faded, Yugi could be seen leaning against the bed, crying softly to himself as he cuddled the Puzzle.  Seto, Malik and Marik hastened over to him; the others were still staring.

"What just happened?" asked Ryou tiredly, snuggled against his yami's chest.  Yugi shook his head, but as Seto's arms wrapped around him he began to sob.

"Y-yami … I banished … I banished him to the Shadow Realm …" he whispered brokenly.  "He's gone … I want my yami!" he wept, grabbing Seto in a hug that _had_ to hurt the ribs.  "I mean … He was nice until a few months ago … why couldn't he have stayed that way?  He was me; he was a part of me and now he's gone, and … and …"

"Shh," soothed Malik, petting his hair.  "Why don't we get you fixed up, and then you can have breakdowns without hurting yourself."  Marik snorted and Malik glared.  "Have a little respect, you unemotional ninny!"  His partner rolled his eyes and patted Yugi's shoulder.

"But really Malik; nice way to put it."  And then Malik was sniggering helplessly too.  As an amber eye peered over Seto's shoulder to glare at them, he shrugged helplessly.

"I'm sorry, Yugi, but there's no way we're staying that serious, and it was very *snort* funny -"

"Did you just snort?!" demanded Marik.  "You did!"  The smaller of the two blushed.

"I did not!" he protested.  Marik disagreed.

"You did so!"

"I did not!"

"You did so!"

"I did not!"

"You did so!"

"I did not!"

"You did so!"

"I did not!"

"You did so!"

"I did not!"

"You did so!"

"I did so!"

"You did not!"

"Gotcha!"

"Mal~ik!"

And Yugi gave a tearful smile as his eyes closed once more, falling asleep on Seto's shoulder.

```````````````````````````````

When Yugi awoke, his ankle was no longer broken and he was feeling much better, though still upset over the events of … yesterday? today? … what _was_ the day, anyway?

"Master Kaiba, Master Kaiba!  He's awake!"  Yugi turned over in what he now realized had to be a _huge_ bed to see a maid scurry out, shrilling for Seto.  He really wished she wouldn't yell; her voice was obviously piercing enough on its own.  He sat up as Seto walked in smoothly.

"Hello, Seto," murmured Yugi.  "How long have I been asleep?"

"Two days, nothing serious, thank goodness.  How are you feeling?"

"I miss Yami," he said bluntly.  "Even when I shut the connection he was always there … and now he's gone … Seto, why did he have to make me do it?  I feel so … dirty."  Seto sat down on the bed.

"I don't know, Yugi.  And I don't even understand what you must be going through, but if you ever … want to talk … or something … I'm right here."  Seto's face was stony, and Yugi would bet anything that the other boy didn't really want him around, but … he had to tell him.  After Yami had gone, Yugi knew he needed someone, and Malik and Marik – fun as they were – just didn't cut it.  Yugi had already chosen whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.  He could only hope that, eventually, Seto might feel the same way.

"Seto?" asked Yugi in a small voice.  The brunette didn't look up.

"What is it, Yugi?" he returned; his voice as hard as it had ever been in their duels as rivals, when Yami was still … Yugi shook away the thought as his throat tightened.

"I … have to tell you that … I …"  Seto looked up, and Yugi finished with a whisper, "love you."

……

……

……

……

Seto stared.

……

……

……

……

And stared some more.  Yugi began to grow uncomfortable, and fidgeted nervously.

"Seto?" he queried, his lips parting invitingly with the words.

Seto's lips: meet Yugi.

"I love you, too."

The End.  (read the Author's Notes!!!!!)

*

A/N:  Hey!  I didn't expect that to happen so soon!  *scratches head nervously* Oops…

How'd you like it?  There will be an Epilogue – probably next week – so I can kill Tea and wrap things up, but it's pretty much finished; unless there's something else you guys want me to do.

REVIEW!  I think I deserve it; the story's nearly done!


	9. Epilogue: As Time Goes By

Childhood Was For Fantasies 

Disclaimer:  I do not, nor will I ever, have the intelligence to own anything as worthwhile as Yu-Gi-Oh!, so buzz off.

Warning: I have no idea where the story is going, but this WILL have SLASH!  Yugi is a bit depressed, there may be a few inappropriate things, and of course, violence.  I doubt I own a story without any of the above...

A/N:  The last chapter!  I know it took longer than I said, but I /was/ really busy.  Fortunately school was cancelled, so I have time to type this up!

Anyone who loves Tea, leave now.

**Epilogue:  As Time Goes By**

Last Time… 

****

_"Seto?" he queried, his lips parting invitingly with the words._

_Seto's lips: meet Yugi._

_"I love you, too."_

_The End._

*

Five Years Later… 

Yugi hummed happily as he closed the Game Shop for the night.  Seto had promised to stop working when he got home tonight, and Mokuba was at a sleep-over.  He grinned wickedly.  That only meant good news and a 'good' night!  Joey was shooting him an odd look – his best friend was his employee at the Game Shop now – and Yugi promptly blushed.

/No dirty thoughts with him nearby,/ he reminded himself mock-sternly.  /But I'll have time all to myself with Seto-kun … And I bet he'll – No dirty thoughts around my best friend!/  He blushed harder.  Joey laughed.

"I know whatch' you're thinkin' of, Yug!" he teased.  He ducked as a sandal flew by overhead.  "Ya know, Kaiba's a bad influence on you.  You weren' half dis violent before he started encouragin' ya."  Yugi sneered regally and Joey actually started backing away, looking unnerved.  "Whoa, Yug, what happened to ya face?  Dat's nasty …"

"Oh, shut up, Joey," grumbled the tri-color-haired man.  He was still as short as ever, but he had grown up.  The pain of Yami's banishment had never truly left, and he doubted it ever would, but he didn't cry at every little thing.  He was also happily married to the man known as Seto Kaiba, with Mokuba as his brother-in-law.

Joey too was married.  Mai Valentine was now Mai Wheeler, and they had four children with a fifth on the way.  Although Joey helped at the Game Shop, he, Yugi, Mai, and Kaiba still dueled professionally, so his large family was well-provided for.  He was a great father, and he had sworn to always put his kids first, something Mai had agreed with whole-heartedly.  Yugi loved Joey's family, even if the children _did_ seem to have a really odd fascination with Yugi's hair…

"I gotta go, Yug.  See ya tomorrow?"

"Of course!" Yugi agreed.  "Oh, and Joey?  There's a new shipment coming in next week, so I'll need you here then, too."

"'Kay.  Bye, Yug!"

Yugi would have responded but for the fact that he smelled something burning.

"Oh shit!  I must have left the oven on after we had lunch!" he muttered, panicking.  He didn't notice as Joey drove away; he was too busy unlocking the Shop and running inside.

He hastened into the kitchen … and then stopped, puzzled.

The oven wasn't on, but there was a small smoke bomb on the floor.

"How did that get there?" he asked, talking to himself.  He never expected someone to answer.

Or for the answer to come in the form of a knife at his throat.

"Hi, slave, it's been awhile."  Yugi froze at the voice, and his breaths became more panicked.

"T-Tea?" he questioned.  His captor laughed darkly.

Tea had left after Yami had been killed, screaming threats and profanities at the still-hurting hikari.  She had become a famous dancer over in the States, and had seemed happy enough.  None of them had ever bothered to consider her a threat.  Apparently, that had been a mistake.

"You murderer!" the brown-haired woman hissed, drawing away and pushing Yugi to the floor.  He fell awkwardly, and twisted to see her pacing around him, circling.  She had a gun in one hand, and a knife in the other.

"You killed him!  You killed Yami!  I told you I would make you pay, Yugi Motou, and _you will pay_!"  She kicked him in the side, and Yugi felt long-forgotten terror creeping up on him.  This was just like what had happened so long ago.  He still bore the scars of the bully-days, and even worse scars from the Yami/Tea ones … He tried desperately not to cry as the memories came seeping back.  Tea was circling again, but he couldn't hear what she said, too lost in fear and remembered pain to focus.

And just when Yugi thought he'd surely black out from the emotional strain, Tea knelt down at his side, movements graceful.  She brought up the knife and absently caressed his face with it.  Yugi flinched as his ears suddenly tuned back into reality.

"-and then all that pretty blood would decorate you.  You'd be hideous.  That would repulse Kaiba, and maybe end his stupid unnatural affinity for men.  I bet you're such a whore.  Do you beg Kaiba in bed, Yugi?  Disgusting.  It's gross that something that looks so much like Yami could be so screwed up.  Or maybe I should just slit your throat.  Simple.  Easy.  No excess mess, no loud screams to attract attention.  And then I could take the Puzzle without getting your dirty blood all over it.  Or I could just shoot you.  In the stomach, in the head.  In the spine; paralyze you for life … But then you could identify me … Oh, I have waited so long for this!  You have no idea how _easy_ it was to trap you, Yugi.  So simple.  It was like you wanted to die.  That's only right isn't it?  Yami was your other half.  One part of a soul shouldn't outlive the other.  Especially not the inferior part.  The weaker half; the pet; the slave.  Yami was right all along, you know.  You deserve this more than even I could have believed.  But now … now you will pay for what you did."  She looked at her weapons.  "The knife.  I'll slit your throat.  Clean and easy.  Nothing to show who did it … Now, just hold still, Yugi.  This should hurt."  Yugi found himself still paralyzed, unable to move away as she brought the knife over his throat, frowning as she tried to find the best angle at which to kill him with it.

A shot rang out, and Tea slumped down over the boy, who was still frozen.

"Yugi!"

The voice sounded familiar, and Yugi stared up hazily as the girl's body was removed from his chest.  Seto's face looked down on him worriedly.

"Yugi?  Are you alright?  I'm so sorry!  I should have been here sooner, I - "  He was cut off as Yugi launched himself into Seto's arms, shuddering.

"She – she … was going to kill me!  She … she said …"

"Shhh," soothed Seto.  "It's okay, Yugi, she's gone now.  What she said doesn't matter.  She was insane, and she took it out on you.  It's not your fault … Officer, I'm going to take him home now," he added to the cop he had called as soon as he'd seen the back door of the Game Shop, which had been broken into.  He'd been terrified, but surely not as scared as poor Yugi, trapped inside with his would-be murderess … He hugged the shaking form tightly.  Yugi was alive, he was safe, and he was scared.  He needed to get warm and collected, or else he'd go into shock.  The officer nodded, and Seto easily lifted his husband and took him out to the waiting limousine.

Yugi was safe, and that was all that mattered.

The End.

*

A/N:  Well, that's the end.  If it's not what you wanted or expected, I'm sorry, but it's not what *I* expected either.  I had something totally different planned, but this is what came out.  Live with it.

Thank you for all the support and reviews.  I really really love you guys for them; they make life worth living.

I hope you enjoyed the story.  Another one will be out soon, I think.  I have several YGO stories going in my notebooks (they're not posted) and the same for a lot of my HP fics.  I'll probably post the better ones eventually, but maybe I should type the entire thing first…

I'm so proud of myself!  My first completed fanfic!  Well, apart from Betrayers Of My Trust, but that was a one-shot, so…

Thanks again, and I hope that you check out my other works!

Love you all,

tati1


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